


Temporary Happiness

by eternal_night_owl



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Starscream is clueless and Knock Out has baggage but they somehow make it work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28488672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternal_night_owl/pseuds/eternal_night_owl
Summary: On the Nemesis, few things are ever certain and you could lose everything in the blink of an eye. Which makes it all the more important to take whatever chance at happiness you can get while you're still around to enjoy it.Secret Solenoid gift for @frecklydork (aka Keri) on Tumblr
Relationships: Knock Out/Starscream (Transformers), Mentioned Knock Out/Breakdown
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46
Collections: Secret Solenoid '20-'21





	Temporary Happiness

“- and then when I showed Lord Megatron what that stupid _beast_ did to me, Shockwave butted his stupid nose in and told me it ‘wasn’t logical’ to expect the prehistoric sack of bolts to behave in a civilized manner without proper training.” Starscream huffed as he sat on the berth next to Knock Out in the medbay. The red mech, mending the superficial scratch on his commander’s arm, nodded his helm absentmindedly. A new sense of fury took over Starscream.

“Knock Out, are you even listening?” The medic, realizing he was asked a direct question, looked up a second too late. 

“What? Oh yes, Shockwave is an aft, whatever you said,” he replied, turning his attention back to the Seeker’s arm.

Starscream huffed. “Should I remind you that I’m your commanding officer, and therefore am due a certain level of respect? I doubt you’d be this _blas_ _é_ with Shockwave or Megatron.”

Knock Out sighed and put his welder down, finally taking his attention off of Starscream’s injury. “ _Commander_ Starscream,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I am trying to do my job and fix your arm. Though frankly, I’m not even sure why you felt the need to come in. It would’ve healed on its own in a few days.”

Starscream felt his faceplate warm. “I don’t appreciate your tone,” he narrowed his eyes. “And if you must know, I need to be in tip top shape at all times as the Second in Command. We are at war after all, I can’t risk any potential weakness in battle.”  
  
“Of course,” he responded, not sounding convinced in the slightest. 

After a few moments of silence, Knock Out sighed. “Look, if you want to outdo Shockwave, going to Megatron to tattle about every little thing that might get him in trouble isn’t the way to do it. You have to prove that you’re better than him. And pouting about a tiny scratch is not the way to do it.”

“I do not _pout_ ,” Starscream pouted.

Knock Out chose to ignore that. “I don’t even understand why it matters to you so much,” Knock Out said. “Who cares if Megatron likes Shockwave more?”

“Easy for you to say,” Starscream said. “As the only medic you have a certain level of job security. If Megaton decides that he doesn’t need two second-in-commands-”

“Then you have to show that you’re the better choice,” Knock Out retorted.

“And _how_ exactly do you propose I do that?”

“That’s for you to figure out, Starscream. You’re the one who’s been here with Megatron while Shockwave was trapped on Cybertron for millions of years. You should know him well enough to know what he wants.” Knock Out explained.

Starscream grumbled. Yes, he did know Megatron well, certainly better than _Shockwave_. Their leader valued strength, intelligence (as long as it wasn’t used to question him) and absolute, unconditional loyalty. Starscream had most of those qualities. He was certainly intelligent, even Megatron readily admitted as much. Perhaps he wasn’t the biggest or strongest soldier around, but his speed and agility more than made up for it on the battlefield. And as for loyalty… well, admittedly he struggled with that in the past. But, he was doing better now!

And yet, he knew it didn’t matter. Shockwave was enjoying success after success while he had nothing but a string of failures as of late. Anytime he tried to prove himself, it just seemed to blow up in his face. 

“I just wish that stupid fragger stayed on Cybertron where he belongs. Since he returned, he’s brought me nothing but misery.” He groaned. His wings drooped in frustration.

“Yes well, he _did_ return, and you have to decide what you’re going to do about it,” said Knock Out. After making the last few adjustments, he patted Starscream’s arm and pushed it off the table.

“It looks like you are all set and ready for battle.” Knock Out winked. Starscream rolled his optics and pushed himself off the berth.

“Yes well, I guess I should be going before our liege starts wondering where I’ve headed off to. If I make him wait too long he’ll probably rip my arms off and feed them to the beast,” Stascream chuckled without humor.

“Hmm, that certainly wouldn’t be ideal, would it? Especially with your equipment being so hard to replace.” Knock Out hummed. “As your physician I highly recommend you do everything in your power to keep all your limbs attached to your body.”

Starscream looked back at the medic. His tone was sarcastic, but it didn’t reach his optics. Instead, there was something more intense that he couldn’t quite place.

“I’ll keep that in mind, doctor,” he walked towards the door, hesitating slightly before leaving. 

***

“Can you believe what those Autobots did to my paint job!?” Knock Out whined as he glared down at the many, many scratches he had on his person. 

Starscream nodded absentmindedly as he sipped on his evening cube of energon. “Yes, they are quite the brutes, aren’t they?”

It was late, long after most of the other soldiers aboard the Nemesis had refueled and left to recharge for the night. Which is why, Starscream guessed, that Knock Out chose now to take his ration. For Starscream himself, he preferred the solitude the later hours afforded him. But tonight, he didn’t mind the company. 

“You’re telling me!” Knock Out sighed. “It’s going to take forever to buff this out. If Breakdown was still around, it would be done in half the time. I told him to not go on that mission, but did he listen to me? No!”

“Well, you know how our liege can be,” Starscream said. “He doesn’t take kindly to those who say “no.”

Knock Out grumbled, taking another gulp from his cube. “Ugh, this tastes like scrap! Who the hell made this?”

“It’s low-grade,” Starscream twisted his face in disgust. He too despised the drink; only suitable for drones and other low-ranking soldiers like them. But, they were running low after losing yet another energon mine to the Autobots, and even those at the top had to make sacrifices.

Knock Out’s mouth twisted into a devious smirk. “Starscream, can you keep a secret?”

The Seeker raised an optic ridge in interest. “That entirely depends on what that secret is, good doctor.”

Knock Out’s optics glanced back and forth to make sure that no one was within hearing range, despite the break room being completely empty. Then he leaned over towards Starscream’s audial.

“I have some high-grade stashed in my room,” he whispered. “If you promise to keep your mouth shut, I’ll share it with you.” 

Starscream’s optic ridges shot up. “Knock Out, you naughty 'Con. How in the Pit did you ever get your servos on that?”

“I have my ways,” Knock Out smirked. “So, are you in?” 

Starscream grinned, feeling like a devious sparkling. He hadn’t shared a secret with someone that didn’t involve murder, treason, or murderous treason in eons. 

“Very well, I’ll take you up on your offer, if it means drinking something that doesn’t taste like slag for once,” he said. “But I must warn you, despite my slight physique, I am no lightweight. I’ve been known to drink even Lord Megatron under the table.”

“Oh _really_?” Knock Out glanced at him, intrigued. “Well, I’m no slouch either. I bet I could take you on.”

“So, it’s a bet then.”

Knock Out scrunched his faceplate in thought. “A bet, huh? And what exactly are we betting?”

“If I win,” Starscream said, “You have to supply me with high grade for an entire earth year.”

Knock Out let out a squawk of indignation. “I can’t get that much! Do you think I can just zap it into existence whenever I feel like it?”

“What, are you already starting to get worried about losing?” Starscream taunted.

Knock Out huffed. “Fine. But if _I_ win, then you have to get me an earth year supply of carnauba wax. And a new buffer.”

Starscream ground his denta. “Very well. But I’m only agreeing because I know I’m going to win.”  
  
“Ha! I’d like to see you try!”

(30 minutes later)

“Wow,” Starscream slurred as he looked up at the ceiling. He was sitting on the floor, leaning on Knock Out’s berth. “Where in the Pit did you… did you get this, Knock Out?”

Knock Out, who was laying on the berth, smirked down at the Seeker. “What’s wrong Screamy? You already getting overenergized?” He reached over to pat Starscream on the helm, but overshot and fell to the ground with a thud.

Starscream laughed out loud. “You should speak for yourself.”

“Pssh, whatever,” Knock Out pouted, looking down to check his already damaged finish. “Sittin’ around is boring anyway. Why don’t we watch some human videos?” He shakily got up from the floor and stumbled over to his nightstand, pulling out a datapad.

Starscream glared at the thing as though it was mud on his pede. “Ugh, humans are so pointless. Their entire race probably has less functioning than a single Cybertronian processor.”

Knock Out shrugged. “Maybe so, but they do make for some good entertainment,” Knock Out quickly typed in his password and then walked over to Starscream, clicking on a site called “Youtube.” 

“You see, this app can provide entertainment for days! The little humans post the most ridiculous videos of themselves for fame and money,” he laughed, taking a seat next to the Seeker.

Starscream took the datapad from Knock Out. One of the icons showed both him and Breakdown. “Hey, what’s this?”

“Hmm?” Knock Out turned to see what Starscream was looking at, and when he saw it, his optics nearly bulged out of their sockets.

“No! Don’t-”

But it was too late. Starscream had clicked on the video and it started to play. Taking up the full screen was Breakdown and Knock Out, standing in one of the empty deserts that seemed distinct to this area of the mudball called Earth. Both bots were obviously very overenergized and wearing red, floppy helm coverings with a little ball of fluff on the end.

_“Greetings, humans of Earth!” Knock Out slurred. “We are here to grace your presence on the Youtube. Today, we will be performing the Jingle Bell Rock dance on- Breakdown, what was it called?”_

_The blue bot chuckled. “You’d know better than I would, Doc.”_

_“Hmm…” Knock Out thought for a moment. “Oh yes! Rude Femmes!”_

“Give that back!” Knock Out demanded, trying to reach for the datapad. However, Starscream used his height advantage to keep it out of reach.

“No, I want to see this!” Starscream giggled.

_Just then, music started playing. The pair began to (badly) sing along and do awkward moves that could loosely be described as “dancing.”_

_“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle- wait, Breakdown no, you’re supposed to do it like this.” He stumbled as he showed him the move._

_“Like this?” Breakdown awkwardly tried to move his pedes the way Knock Out was showing him. He didn’t even notice the rock on the ground right in front of him._

_“Breakdown, stop-” before he could finish his sentence, Breakdown tripped, sending them both crashing to the ground._

Finally, Knock Out managed to snatch the datapad out of Starscream’s servos when the Seeker was too busy laughing to stop him.

“Well, now I know why you didn’t want me to see that,” he said, after catching his breath. “How has Megatron not caught you yet?”

“I privated the video as soon as I was sober,” he explained. He clutched the datapad to his chassis out of fear Starscream would snatch it away again. He turned toward the Seeker, his optics intense.

“You can’t tell anyone you saw that. If Megatron finds out, he’ll make me delete it.”

Starscream threw the red mech a questioning look. “Why didn’t you delete that? If I had a video of me making such a fool of myself, I would’ve gotten rid of it immediately and killed any potential witnesses.” 

He then realized after a moment that he was Knock Out’s witness. “Metaphorically speaking with that last point, of course,” he laughed nervously.

“I just don’t want to, okay? It’s mine and I don’t want to delete it. End of story.”

Starscream scoffed. “Whatever. Have it your way.”

After a few moments of awkward silence, Starscream started to laugh again. “I still can’t believe you, of all bots, made that video. And you dragged Breakdown in it with you too! That poor bumbling oaf; his pedes were so big that it’s a wonder how he could walk at all without stumbling on his faceplate- Hey!”

Knock Out grabbed Starscream’s helm, forcing him to look him in the optics. The way he looked at him sent shivers down his systems and froze him in place.

“Never,” he hissed. “Speak about Breakdown like that again, do you understand?” 

Too scared to speak, Starscream nodded his helm. 

Knock Out glared at him for a few more moments before letting go. “It’s getting late, you should be heading back to your quarters,” he said, turning his attention to his claws. The brief aura of fury that encompassed him seconds ago fell away in favor of cold indifference. 

Starscream stared back dumbfounded. “Knock Out-”

“I said _good night_ , Commander Starscream.”

The Seeker blinked back at him for a minute before getting up and heading towards the door.

“Good night,” he said under his breath, as Knock Out slammed the door in his face.

***

It wasn’t like Starscream to feel guilty. 

Oh sure, he could fake it well enough when he needed to get himself out of trouble. But real, genuine guilt? That had been a while. He thought he lost the ability to sometime after the hundredth Autobot he shot through the spark.

And yet, here he was, knocking on Knock Out’s door with a present in his servos because he felt _guilty_.

It wasn’t like this whole incident was _really_ his fault; how was he supposed to know that Knock Out was so close to his assistant?! Sure, he was aware they were on friendly terms, but true, close bonds were a rarity on the Nemesis. They were a distraction to the cause, and discouraged by high command.

But still, he knew apologizing was the only way to get rid of these stupid feelings and back into Knock Out’s good graces, no matter how much it hurt his pride. It had been so long since he had someone he could have a decent conversation with that didn’t involve warmongering, and he didn’t realize how much he missed it.

“Primus, it’s only ten in the morning! Can’t you let a mech get some proper recharge before-” Knock Out stopped when he opened the door and saw Starscream standing there.

“Commander Starscream,” the red medic addressed him coolly. “Have you been injured?”

“No,” Starscream said, shuffling the box he was holding in his arm. “I’ve actually come by to- to give you something.” he looked down at his pedes, feeling oddly nervous.

“Oh?” Knock Out’s optic ridges shot up in surprise. He took the box that the Seeker offered, moving over to his berth to open it before stopping and glaring at the Commander. “If this is some kind of trick-” 

“It’s not,” Starscream assured him, holding his servos up. Tentatively, he walked into Knock Out’s quarters and sat beside him. “Just open it and see for yourself.”

Knock Out gave him one last suspicious glare before opening the box. When he saw what was inside, his optics lit up.

“You got me a rotary buffer and some new polishing wax?! The expensive stuff too,” he looked down at his treasure with awe. 

“Not quite a year’s supply, but hopefully it will do,” Starscream explained. 

Knock Out gave him a questioning look. “I didn’t win the bet, neither of us did.”

“I know,” Starscream nodded. “But this isn’t about the bet.”

“Then why-” 

“Let’s just say, I said some things that I shouldn’t have, and this is my way of making things right between us once again,” Starcream said, not quite meeting the other Decepticon’s optics. “And I hope now we can both put that disgraceful night behind us.”

Knock Out looked at his gift, then back at the Seeker. For a second, Starscream was afraid that he would throw the box at him and tell him to get out. But instead, he smiled.

“Thank you, Starscream. And yes, I forgive you.”

***

“What is this place?” Starscream asked Knock Out after he convinced him to groundbridge them to some sort of secret location. 

This place was much different compared to the other areas of Earth. Instead of the blistering heat of the Nevada deserts, or the freezing cold of the Arctic, this place was warm, but with enough of a breeze that it didn’t feel suffocating. There were tiny pieces of green vegetation growing out of the ground ( _grass_ , he reminded himself) instead of rocks or ice. There were even some slightly taller, more colorful pieces of vegetation growing that held a certain aesthetic appeal ( _flowers_ , is what the humans called them).

This place, at least for Earth, was downright pleasant.

“Oh, just somewhere I like to go sometimes, to clear my processor.” He grinned. “No civilization for miles around. No Autobots, no fleshies, just the open sky.” Knock Out looked up then, a thoughtful look on his face. He walked over a few more paces and sat on the ground.

“Aren’t you worried about messing up your finish?” Starscream teased, as he took a seat by his side.

“I’m a very careful mech, Starscream. I’ve been here dozens of times and haven’t gotten a single scratch.”

Starscream snorted and looked up at the night sky filled with stars. “I wonder which one is Cybertron,” he wondered out loud. 

Knock Out hummed. “It’s been so long, I don’t know if I’d even recognize it if I saw it up close anymore.” 

“Yes, it has been quite a while.”

The two were silent for a bit, just enjoying the view and the silence. They got so little of it on the Nemesis.

“You know, Breakdown was the one who showed me this spot,” Knock Out explained. Starscream turned his helm to look towards Knock Out with surprise. 

“We had to keep things quiet to avoid our relationship becoming a liability,” he explained. “This was the place where we were free to be ourselves.”

Starscream raised an optic ridge. “You two were close.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes, very much so.” Knock Out turned to face the Seeker, a sad smile on his faceplate. “He always wanted to go back to Cybertron someday, help rebuild the planet and see new life be born. I always told him we’d both probably be long dead before that happened.” The smile faded from his face and he turned back to the sky.

“We have been at war for millions of years,” Starscream agreed after an awkward moment of silence. “I don’t see it ending anytime soon.”

“Neither do I,” Knock Out agreed. “Which means we must take whatever happiness we can find whenever the opportunity arrives. And I know he would want that, for me to be happy.”

Starscream looked at Knock Out with raised optic ridges. “And I assume you already know what would make you happy?”

“Yes, I think I do.”

Knock Out leaned closer to him, moving his faceplate closer to Starscream’s. Before he could process what the red mech was trying to do, he felt his mouth on his. The Seeker flinched for a moment in surprise before returning the kiss. It was warm and inviting, tasting sweet with just the barest hint of spice.

After they had stopped to catch their breath, Starscream smiled.

“I’ll be your happiness Knock Out,” he said before stealing another kiss. “If you’ll be mine.”

“I think that’s a fair trade,” Knock Out smirked.

The two ‘Cons took their sweet time before going back to the Nemesis. Megatron, Optimus, and their war could wait. 


End file.
